Chapter 18

It was two weeks before the visit we had been expected finally came. There had just been a snow fall two days previously. The same snowplow came through with four SUV’s behind it this time.

They all stopped in front of my house and Charles Jones started down the drive. I stepped away from a tree and said, “Hello, Charles. That’s far enough. What do you want?”

He said, “I’m sorry, Taylor. We’re here to take over. It will be best to surrender quietly so there is no violence.”

“Charles, I think there will be violence and it will start with you. You shouldn’t have let your office be perverted by your partners in crime.” I pulled my rifle up and aimed it at him. I also stepped behind a tree. Still quietly, I said, “Charles, raise your hands. My first shot is you. At this distance, I won’t miss. Is an empty house worth your life? We didn’t have much but it’s hidden now. It won’t be found. You know me well enough to know that I’m not bluffing.”

Charles paled realizing that he would be first to die. He looked around. I realized he had nowhere to go and now knew it. I saw one of the “back seat” guys from last time get out. He shouted, “Mister Anderson, resistance is futile. We can take you.”

“I don’t think so. At least, you won’t.” I shifted my aim and killed him. Charles dropped but his people killed him. I saw his body jerk from four shots. I shot other people from my tree. They were more prepared but were still not that ready when Sharon and Jim and Irene and Matt opened up from behind them. Comparatively, it was over quickly with us taking ten prisoners who had dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

I was surprised that it had been that easy. Over the radio, I said, “Folks, this was too easy. Be on your guard.”

I moved out from my tree trying to look in every direction. I didn’t see anybody as I walked up to the road. I said, “Weren’t you guys warned about trying to invade my property?”

One guy said, “Charles said that you couldn’t stop us. We’ll be back.”

I shot him. I said, “You won’t.”

After a pause to let them assimilate that, I said, “How many more of you are there?”

One of them stammered, “We have five more truck loads for the west territory.”

“Where are they?”

“They will come to help us out.”

“I hope they help you differently from how you guys helped Charles.”

A couple of them looked troubled. I said, “Where is your base?”

“We work out of police headquarters and use the fire stations across the county.”

“It’s unfortunate that you are lawless thugs bent on rape, robbery and murder. The county could have used some good people trying to help others in a real manner.”

“We didn’t have any choice. If you don’t go, your woman won’t be protected and you will be killed.”

I said, “It hasn’t worked out well for you guys. I’m trying to determine why you should be allowed to live and longevity isn’t to be found in you thus far. I really don’t countenance armed robbery and rape even if you were blackmailed into it.”

“We-we surrendered. You can’t kill us.”

‘Of course, I can. There were no terms given. However, I will be fair. Anyone with a gun might try to use it because I’m going to frisk you and will shoot anyone with a gun or knife.” Two turned my way as they tried to draw a pistol. They died quickly from my hidden watchers’ bullets.

I said, “There are now seven of you left. Do you have hand cuffs in your vehicles?”

Heads were shaken. “That means you weren’t planning on prisoners. That’s not a good sign.” The survivors looked more nervous. I said, “Okay. We’ll march down to the barn around back and talk. Put your hands on your heads with your fingers interlaced. I came to the first one and stuck my pistol against his side as I frisked him being thorough and not gentle. He was clean. “Step toward the barn but don’t go far. Running will get you killed.”

I frisked each one and had them start walking toward the barn. When they reached the barn, Misty opened the door and herded them inside. Misty was wearing warm clothes but they didn’t hide her figure. Numbers three and six really ogled her and I decided that they wouldn’t survive the questioning that would follow. We were all inside and I took rope and hogtied each one tightly including a noose to choke them if they wiggled much. I left them with Misty and went back outside to work with Sharon and Jim. They were alert for more people coming by vehicle or on foot across other properties.

Sharon and Jim joined me at the road. “Dad, what are you going to do with them?”

“I don’t know. They weren’t planning to take prisoners but we’ve killed off the leaders. I’m not sure how much those left might know. On the other hand, there is a chance that more will come. Supposedly, there are five more trucks for this end of the county.”

Jim said, “The four of us will watch and be ready. Sharon and I are going to check through the vehicles for anything worth grabbing. We’re also going to disable all of them. I don’t want those SUV’s used against us again.”

I nodded. Sharon said, “We’ll take care of things. Go, stay with Misty unless you hear shooting.” I nodded again and walked to the barn.

The men were still there, of course. Misty said quietly, “What are we going to do with these? I don’t want them loose around us.”

“I understand, Misty. Let’s get them talking.”

I picked number three. “You’re first. You will talk or die. I don’t care which but you might. What’s your name?”